Here is a step-by-step-guide on how to verify your blog in Google Webmaster Tool. If your blog is new, you will need to verify it in Google webmaster Tool so that you can submit your sitemap for proper indexing. This guide is useful for you even if you are using blogger or WordPress.
The prayer point of every bloggers is to write a blog that will generate huge traffic which will help them to make money. This could be partly achieved by implementing the basic SEO tips; one of it is verifying your blog in Google Webmaster Tool. Verification will help in the crawling and indexing by Google.
Google is a very popular search engine; this explains why many web content developers prefer Google in a bid to draw traffic to their websites. To further simplify this work, every blogger wants to generate traffic on his or her blog, and Google being a very popular platform helps them to achieve this.
Therefore, Google Webmaster Tool is a tool developed by Google that enables a blogger to perceive how Google search engine analyzes their blogs by reviewing its performance under crawl details (error, stats, and rate), Sitemaps, robots.txt, malware, search queries, links, and keywords.
It was re-branded by Google in May, 2015 to Google Search Console, so you shouldn’t be confused when you hear someone talk about Google Webmaster Tool as Google Search Console.
Let’s think of this whole concept this way, you own a company and you wish to be known by everyone as a way of making more money. You register with a known referring company (Google) in the business while you still maintain your original name; you will have to meet their terms and conditions for registration though.
After meeting with those terms and conditions, and they’ve confirmed you’ve met them, they will allow you to work with them. Now when people search for related goods (articles, images or videos) on the popular brand (Google), they will refer them to your company (blog or website) to generate the required traffic for you (this is a simply Search Engine Optimization).
Well, this piece will explain step-by-step instructions on how to verify your blog in Google Webmaster Tool. Now let’s look at the steps.
Verification Guide
I believe you now know the importance of Google Webmaster Tool – great! Remember that for you to work with the tool, Google allows you verify your blog.
For new Blogger blogs (blogs created with the extension name .blogspot.com), you are automatically verified in Search Console.
If it doesn’t automatically appear on your Search Console homepage, click on Add a Site.
This will make your site to appear immediately and be verified too.
But for old bloggers, it will not be automatic as you will be verified using the Meta Tag Method and you need to follow in the steps bellow to be verified.
Steps to verify your blog in Google Webmaster Tool (by adding a Meta tag)
In Webmaster Tools
>> I. Login to Webmaster Tools at http:// www.google.com/webmaster/tools/home?hl=en
>> II. On the next screen, add a new site, using the sub-folder installed as URL. If your blog is a subfolder, enter www.infoguidenigeria.com/file as your URL where file is the name of “my subfolder.” You can upload HTTP file from your site directory using FTP. Click Continue to take you to Manage
Verification page
>>> III. Choose the Meta Tag verification method when asked about verification and copy Meta tag generated for you. You can do this in a very simple procedure using a Google Verification Plugin.
Google Verification In Blogger
* Log in through your blog
*From the Blogger dashboard and click Layout link from the blog you wish to verify
* Click Edit HTML link under the Layout tab which will allow you to edit the HTML for your blog template
* Paste the Meta tag copied in (III) above Click the immediately after the element and click Save Template
* On Manage verification page, confirm that Meta tag is selected as the verification method
* Once you have uploaded to the root of the website, click verify button
Google will immediately verify the Meta tag exists in the correct location and if they can’t find it, they will send you an error message telling you the error encountered in your account verification process.
After the verification (if successful), you will need to add your Sitemaps (see how to create and submit Sitemaps) and after that, data starts coming in. You are done
Conclusion
Site verification is an important requirement demanded by Google before you work with Google Webmaster Tool.
That’s right – you must verify ownership of your blog by adding a Meta code or file to your blog.
Verification can either happen immediately or take some time. If the latter is your case, just be patient with the Console while it’s collecting your data.
It is important you verify your blog on Google Webmaster tool because of its attendant benefits which include – ability to analyze your blog performance on Google search engine, use of search queries and keywords to attract traffic to your blog, checkmating the exposure of your blog to malware, listing internal and external pages that link to your website, showing statistics of how Google indexes your site and the possible errors encountered while at it, and lastly, giving you ideas on how to improve your blog to generate traffic.
If you are a new blogger and you haven’t verified your blog yet, I advise you do that as soon as possible so as to start reaping the benefits of Google webmaster Tool mentioned above.